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The key of the cloud + offline world: the buffer

In an hybrid world where cloud is mixed with offline, as seen on my previous post, the most important thing to handle is the buffer. What does it mean?

If people do something offline it has to be replicated online.
If people do something online it has to be replicated offline.
All offline channels : PC app, business PC app, tablet app, mobile app. How is it possible?

3 ways:

- End to end offline/online app.
Like Dropbox, Reeder, or the Blogger app I actually use to write this blogpost offline, it's fully transparent, fully cross-channel.
Some apps miss some channels in their end-to-end approach.
See Deezer, I have my music available offline on my mobile, my tablet but on my PC, I have to be connected to open the Deezer webpage. The missing point: a PC app/client.

- Externalized.
Todo, a todolist app rely on Dropbox to ensure that all the Todo apps are synchronized. It ask permission to stock a backup file on the Dropbox account of Todo users, and synch it regularly.
As you can see Dropbox is well positioned to be our life buffer.

- Email based.
Email is a brilliant buffer because of its flexibility.
See Pocket, I'm offline and I want to add an URL to my "read it later list" I just send it to add@getpocket.com, and then my email is recognized and the webpage is added to my list.
It's the same for may apps as Remember the Milk, etc.
Everything rely on an app/client that everybody have on every connected device: email client.

- SMS based.
SMS could do the same job as email with an advantage: only mobile data connection is needed, even without internet connection you could then post on Facebook, add things to your "todo" list, blog, etc. Few services rely on SMS for now, but with SMS cost decrease, it may go up.